Saturday, January 31, 2015

Volunteer Spotlight--Cara Adams

PETEETNEET VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Cara Jean Adams

The Peteetneet Museum has a great number of wonderful volunteers who are willing to share their time and talents at the museum each week. Each of the Volunteer Tour Guides gives at least three hours a week to conduct tours of our beautiful building. One of those volunteers is Cara Jean Adams. Her family has deep roots in Payson. She was born in Payson on Ground Hog Day (February 2nd). Her parents lived on 600 East and 600 South just up the street from the Peteetneet. Cara attended Kindergarten at Peteetneet and then her family moved to Salem where her father operated a service station. Their home and stations was located on the highway where we find Salem Hills High School today. Çara then attended Salem Elementary School and the Salem Junior High. The elementary school and junior high were in the same building at that time. She attended and graduated from Spanish Fork High School. She met her “soul mate”, Gary Adams while in high school. They both graduated the same year. After graduation, Gary joined the Air Force and Cara went to Utah State and then BYU. A year and a half later they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Their first home after they were married was in Libby, Montana. They were then assigned to Hamilton Air Force Base in Northern California. When her husband’s tour of duty was completed, they decided to make their permanent home in that area. They lived there for forty-two years. Gary was employed by the Petaluma Fire Department. Cara went back to school at Sonoma State College in Rohnert Park, California. She then taught school in the Petaluma School District for twenty-five years. They raised their three children: Shelly, Stephanie, and Steven in that area. When their two daughters got married they moved to Utah and their son moved to Southern California. In 2000, when they retired they returned home to Utah and built a new home. The home was in walking distance from the home where she was born. Their home was built on the ground where her Grandfather, James Harvey Jones, had built his barn just south of his home. Cara and Gary spent nine wonderful retirement years in their new home. They were able to see their grandchildren grow up. They were able to travel to places she never thought they would see. They traveled to Europe, Alaska, the Caribbean and Mexico. In July 2009, her husband died after a fall at their home. Cara said she misses her husband very much but this is where she wants to be at this time of her life. They have their three beautiful children and their spouses, 12 grandchildren, and 4 precious great grandchildren. Cara said she loves Payson and has always felt a connection to Peteetneet. She is very happy to be able to serve as a volunteer at this time. We at Peteetneet appreciate all the Cara the other volunteers contribute to our building.